Detroit Red Wings - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres hang tough against Red Wings for shootout win

BUFFALO – Slowly, Sabres coach Ted Nolan believes, his message is sinking in. Following Sunday’s unlikely 3-2 shootout win against the Detroit Red Wings, he pointed out his Sabres are 2-2-1 in their last five games.

Of course, the Sabres lost those two contests by a combined score of 9-0.

Still, the 3-9-1 Sabres, arguably the NHL’s worst club, measure progress differently than most teams.

Against one of the league’s better teams, the Sabres hung ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Tyson Strachan earning keep on blue line

BUFFALO – Watching nine of the first 10 games as a healthy scratch, waiting 16 days in between appearances, well, that’s nothing new for Sabres defenseman Tyson Strachan.

Welcome to the life of an NHL journeyman.

Strachan, a 30-year-old veteran of 142 games, said he once sat about two and a half months with St. Louis early in his career.

“It’s tough,” said Strachan, who had two assists in Sunday’s 3-2 shootout win against the ... Read the full article

Sabres change lineup, summon Johan Larsson for banged-up Marcus Foligno

BUFFALO – As expected, the reeling Sabres, losers of three straight games, will change their lineup for this afternoon’s tilt against the Detroit Red Wings.

Slick winger Johan Larsson has been summoned from Rochester to replace Marcus Foligno, who got “banged up” in Saturday’s 5-0 loss in Pittsburgh, Sabres coach Ted Nolan said.

In addition, 19-year-old rookie Nikita Zadorov, a healthy scratch 11 times this season, and Andrej Meszaros, a scratch the last two games, ... Read the full article

Rookie Zemgus Girgensons scores twice, Sabres still fall to Red Wings

BUFFALO – Zemgus Girgensons’ development can’t be measured with statistics. The Sabres rookie only has eight scores in 67 games following his first two-goal performance in Tuesday’s 4-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings.

But the 20-year-old center has been showcasing a growing confidence throughout the season.

Late Tuesday, with the Sabres down a goal, Girgensons found himself one-on-one with Niklas Kronwall just inside the Detroit blue line. Girgensons blew by the respected veteran defenseman ... Read the full article

Sabres want to be vocal with NHL, upset about Zac Rinaldo’s suspension

BUFFALO – Sabres general manager Tim Murray recently asked coach Ted Nolan to tell him everything that was happening.

Why?

“Because we’re going to complain about it,” Murray told Nolan.

The Sabres are angry the NHL only suspended Flyers agitator Zac Rinaldo four games for elbowing defenseman Chad Ruhwedel in the head late in Sunday’s 5-2 loss in Philadelphia.

Ruhwedel is home recovering from a concussion and out indefinitely. Rinaldo, meanwhile, can play again next ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Chris Stewart pushed hard to return this season

BUFFALO – Originally, the right ankle injury Chris Stewart suffered March 6 was supposed to shelve the Sabres winger the rest of the season.

But Stewart said he “really turned the corner” a couple of weeks ago. At that point, the 26-year-old decided he would push to return this season.

Tonight, Stewart, who arrived from St. Louis on Feb. 28, will play his third game with the Sabres.

Why come back with just ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Christian Ehrhoff OK after gruesome ear injury

BUFFALO – Forget about “Hoff,” Sabres defenseman Christian Ehrhoff has a new nickname.

“‘Earhoff,’ it’s the most common one, I think,” Ehrhoff, who needed 40 stitches to repair a cut on his right ear Sunday, said this morning inside the First Niagara Center.

As Ehrhoff spoke, a teammate shouted the nickname.

“I guess when you have a situation like that, the jokers, they always come out pretty quick,” Ehrhoff said.

He can smile now. But ... Read the full article

Sabres upset about Zac Rinaldo’s suspension, plan to be ‘vocal on this one’

BUFFALO – About three games ago, Sabres general manager Tim Murray told coach Ted Nolan to tell him everything that was happening.

“Because we’re going to complain about it,” Murray said.

The Sabres are clearly angry Flyers agitator Zac Rinaldo only received a four-game suspension for elbowing defenseman Chad Ruhwedel in the head late in Sunday’s 5-2 loss in Philadelphia.

Ruhwedel is home recovering from a concussion. Rinaldo, meanwhile, can play again next week.

Nolan ... Read the full article

Sabres recall Andrey Makarov, Mark Pysyk from Amerks

BUFFALO – With goalie Nathan Lieuwen sidelined by a concussion, the Sabres recalled rookie Andrey Makarov from Rochester this morning.

The team also summoned defenseman Mark Pysyk to replace the concussed Chad Ruhwedel and sent winger Luke Adam back to the Americans.

The 20-year-old Makarov has never played in the NHL and only recently earned a promotion to the Amerks.

Still, Makarov has played well in the AHL, going 3-3 with a 2.70 goals-against ... Read the full article

Injury-plagued Sabres could get 3 players back against Red Wings

BUFFALO – There is some good news for the reeling, injury-ravaged Sabres. They could have three players back tonight against the Detroit Red Wings. Of course, 13 – yes, a stunning 13 – are hurt right now.

Incredibly, the NHL’s worst team lost three more players in the third period of Sunday’s disastrous 5-2 loss in Philadelphia.

– Goalie Nathan Lieuwen, who has a disturbing history of concussions, suffered another one, coach Ted ... Read the full article